Karnataka techie languishing in US prison since the last nine months

Little did 28-year-old Naveen Ningappa, a software engineer from Chitradurga in Karnataka posted in the US on a project work, realize that he was walking into a trap in an undercover sting operation by California based County detectives when he began chatting with a girl on Internet nine months ago.

After he reportedly continued to chat with her even though she told him that she was a 12-year-old girl and went to meet her a week later in Norristown during the last week of October 2007, he was arrested by the cops and booked under multiple charges ranging from attempting unlawful communication with a minor to rape and indecent assault.

Notwithstanding Naveen’s claims that he has been framed on charges of raping the girl he had never seen, the hapless software engineer has been locked up in Montgomery County Prison, Pennsylvania, US since then. The bail amount, which was originally around $ 150,000 has risen to $ 500,000 during the course of the trial.

Unable to fork out the huge bail amount, Naveen faces an uncertain future in an alien land.

Naveen’s plight came to light only now after his aghast family members revealed to the media the contents of the letters sent by arrested software engineer’s nightmarish experience.

“Though she insisted on meeting me, I repeatedly deferred it saying I was busy at work. However, she continued to pester me and talk in an intimate way. Later, I decided to meet and help her as she was a 12-year-old girl. But, only after the arrest I came to know that she is a cop. Though I have not seen the girl, they have charged me with rape, sexual assault and many other charges”, Naveen said in the letter.

The Reporter, a California-based newspaper, had written that the arrest of Naveen was part of a sting operation by local detectives, who conduct undercover sting operations to capture people allegedly patrolling the Internet to meet children.

Naveen’s parents, who reside in Chitradurga, and his elder brother Sridhar, who is pursuing his M Tech in Bangalore, are traumatized over Naveen’s experience.

Sridhar, who first learnt about his Naveen’s plight, tried to secure his release by approaching the company in Chennai, where his brother had been employed. He also met the then Federal Minister M V Rajashekaran so that the Government of India could intervene in the matter.

“When all the efforts failed, I revealed the matter to my parents, who were too shocked to learn about the travails of their son in a far off land. They have spent several sleepless nights after that”, Sridhar said.
Naveen’s family members, who have now approached the media with the letter sent by Naveen, are planning to meet Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa so that the Government of India intervenes in the matter and secures the release of their son.